Swimmer's Daily

  • Shannon Rollason and Nick Juba, ready for Doha 2014. Maybe the best coaching team in the entire universe ! :-)

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  • DOHA (QAT) – NOVEMBER 29, 2014

    With the presence of delegates from 155 National Member Federations, the FINA Extraordinary Congress took place today in Doha (QAT), and approved the following changes in the FINA Rules:

    • Constitution Rules: High Diving is now officialised as the sixth FINA Aquatic Discipline; the Code of Ethics and the FINA Ethics Panel are now part of this set of Rules;
    • General Rules: introduction of High Diving; Swimming finals can only be swum in 8 lanes;
    • Swimming: new rules regarding early start and butterfly kick in breaststroke events; electronic lap counters for the races of 800m and 1500m free races may be used; the possibility of using a backstroke ledge was also introduced; rules governing the World Junior Records in 50m and 25m-pool were defined;
    • Open Water Swimming: obligation to touch the touch pad, if available, at the finish of a race in order to validate the time and ranking;
    • Diving: definition of rules for the newest Diving event, the mixed 3m and 10m synchro; minor changes in judging;
    • High Diving: definition of rules for the newest and sixth discipline, contested for the first time at the 2013 FINA World Championships;
    • Synchronised Swimming: introduction of mixed duet, in two new events (technical and free);
    • Water Polo: minor changes were made concerning the balls, substitutions during the game, exclusion and penalty fouls;
    • Masters: minor adjustments in the swimming, open water and water polo rules;
    • Doping Control Rules: a new set of rules, in conformity with the WADA Code, was approved, and will be applicable from January 1, 2015;
    • Facilities Rules: amendments in Swimming (backstroke ledge) and Diving (platform material) facilities; set of new rules on High Diving facilities.

    “After this Congress, FINA has improved tools to continue developing its activities. We live in a very competitive sports market, and as a leading International Federation, we need to have the best possible rules to face the inevitable challenges in this area”, considered the FINA President Dr. Julio C. Maglione.

    See fina.org

  • Record number of athletes registered to compete in Doha. Hundreds of millions around the world are expected to tune in to see the biggest names in swimming take to the blocks at Hamad Aquatic Centre.

  • One would think Natalie Coughlin has accomplished enough at the Olympics, with 12 medals in three appearances in the Games. One would be wrong.

    Coughlin, 32, told UniversalSports.com that she is “all in” for a fourth Olympics appearance in Rio in 2016:

    “Going into London [in 2012] and into that season I certainly didn’t think I’d go beyond it,” Coughlin said. “But I didn’t want to end my career on that note, knowing I could do more and I could do better.”

    Read The Washington Post

    natalie coughlin photo
    Photo by Vironevaeh

  • Katie Ledecky wins Female Athlete of the Year at the 2014 Golden Goggle Awards in New York.

  • Michael Phelps wins Male Athlete of the Year at the 2014 Golden Goggle Awards in New York.

  • Special Correspondent Mike Mejia takes a look at a few dryland exercises that work well for large groups.

    Courtesy of USA Swimming on YouTube

  • The life of an Olympian is a non-stop whirlwind of competing, training and sponsor and social engagements, so the YOG athletes at Nanjing 2014 were pretty lucky to have YOG graduate turned Olympic champion, South African swimmer Chad le Clos spend the day with them.

    See olympic.org

  • My 10 month old puppy Jackie swam with dolphins when they came into the shallows at Whangaumu (Wellington’s) Bay on the Tutukaka Coast, Whangarei, New Zealand. I think they came to see her and play.